Mail-marking machine.



No. 690,695.. 1 Patented 1an. 7,1902

LcHEsHmE.

MAIL MARKING lNIAVBHINE.

wf' www cHEsHmE'. MAIL-MARKING MACHINE..

(Application med Apr'. 9, 159e.)

Patented 1an. 7,` |902'.

(No Model() l 2 shgets-sheefz. I

Il Y 58 3 llllllllillllllll ffy* 56' "www5-5t 54 cluclumm HE' NonmsPETERS cu.. Puoaumo.. WASHINGTON. u, c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD CHESl-IIRE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE WHITE l SEWINGMACHINE COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORA- TION OF OHIO.

SPLECELl'EIG..A.'..III0N forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,695,dated January 7, 1902.

' Application filed April 9, 1898. Serial No. 676,984. (No model-l K Toall whom, it mrtg/'concern' Beit known that I, EDWARD CHESHIRE, acitizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county ofCuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Mail-Marking Machines; and I do declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters and gures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to certain im provements in machines for markingand canceling stamps upon mail-matter, and has for its oloject toprovide a machine of this character of a simple and inexpensive naturewhich shall be strong and compact in construction andshall be adaptedrfor use ina rapid and `efficient manner for applying postmarks andcanceling the stamps withoutV danger of mutilation of the letters orother mail-matter being worked. l

The invention consists in a machine of this character having asegregating device'for segregating the letters or other pieces ofmailmatter to be worked and means for marking said letters, the., orcanceling the stamps thereon while they are held by said segregatingdevice.

The invention also contemplates certain novel features of theconstruction, combination, and arrangement of the several parts of theimproved mail-marking'machine, whereby certain important advantages areattained and the device is made simpler, less expensive, and isotherwise better adapted and more convenient for use, all as will behereinafter fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in theclaims.

In order that my improvements may be the better understood, Ihave shownin the accompanying drawings a machine constructed according to myinvention, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine, andFig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 isa longitudinal section takenvertically through the machine. Fig. et is a vertical section takentransversely through the machine in the plane indicated by the line a ain Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section taken through themachinein the plane indicated by the line b b in Fig. 3. Y Fig. 6 is atransverse vertical section in the plane indicated by line c c in Fig.3. Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing thespring-actuated device for pressing the letters or other mailmattertoward the segregating device. Fig. Sis a view showing the canceling ormarking device upon an enlarged scale. Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentarysectional view showing the means for actuating the pistons of thesegregating devices. Fig. 10 is an enlarged view showing the springemployed for-shifting the pistons.

As shown in the drawings, the machine is constructed with a frame orbed-plate 1 of suitble form and dimensions, having perforated lugs 2, inorder that it may be secured upon a table in position forconvenient use.`The bedplate or frame is constructed at one end with a flat horizontaltable or holder 3, having raised parallel guide faces or ribs 4, formedlengthwise along its upper surface, and also provided with undercutguides 5 5, centrally arrangedI between and parallel with said ribs 4and adapted'to receive a slide block or plate 7, the upper part of whichrests upon said ribs 4 and is'provided with a press-plate 8, pro#jecting up at angles to it and adapted to engage the letters or othermatter heldupon the Atable or holder 3, asindicated at The bracket 9 isL-shaped, and itslower horizontal arm 12 is provided with a dovetailedgroove or recess in its under side to receive one end of a tie-bar oryoke 13, the opposite side surfaces of which are beveled to fit in saiddovetailed groove, '(see Fig. 5,) andl said arm 12 of the bracketcarries a set-screw 14;, by means roo of which the bracket may be lockedsecurely to said bar or yoke 13, while being capable of adjustmentlengthwise along the same. The bed-plate 1 is also provided at its endopposite to the table 3 with a similar table or holder 15, also arrangedin a horizontal plane, but at a higher level than the table 3, forpurposes which will be hereinafter explained, and said table 15 isprovided with outer longitudinal ribs 16 and inner undercut guides 17,Whereon is guided a slide block or plate 20, held on the upwardly-bentend 19 of the tiebar or yoke 13, said end 19 passing through a slot 13,formed in the table and having a threaded portion which passes throughthe block or plate 2O and is provided with a nut 2l. The slide-block 2Ohas a press-plate 22 similar to the part 8 or slide-block 7, these partsbeing duplicates of each other, but being arranged in reverse positionsupon the tables 3 and 15.

Between the tables 3 and 15 of the bed-plate is arranged a carrier orsegregating device 23 for segregating the letters or other pieces ofmail-matter arranged on the table 3, as indicated at a: in Figs. 1 and2, and carrying the segregated pieces over and depositing themsuccessively upon the table or holder 15, as indicated at a" in thedrawings, and said segregating device is provided with means for markingthe pieces of inail-matter carried by it or for canceling the stampsthereon, the construction of which means will be hereinafter explained.

The press-plate 8 is designed for pressing the letters :c upon the table3 up against the segregating device 23, so that said letters will beheld in proper position to be seized by said device for marking andcanceling, and in order to impart movement to said press-plate forfeeding the letters up against the segregating device as they aresuccessively seized thereby I provide a spring-actuated-feeding device(shown in Figs. 1 and 7);!nd comprising a drum 24, mounted on a shaft25, held in arms depending beneath the bed-plate, in which drum isarranged, as shown in Fig. 7, a volute spring 28, one end of which istixed to the shaft, While the other end is secured to the drum. Theshaft is provided with a ratchet-Wheel 26 at one side of the drum, withthe teeth of which wheel engages a pawl 27, pivoted ou one of the armswherein the shaft is held. A tape or other flexible connection 29 issecured to and arranged to wind on drum 2l at one end, while its otherend is connected to the bracket 9, as shown in Fig. 1. The pawl 27 byengagement with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 2G serves to hold theshaft 25 against turning to unwind the spring 28, While permitting saidshaft to be turned freely in the other direction to place the springunder increased tension, and the drum being connected by the tape 29 tothe bracket 9, which carries the slide-block 7, it will be seen that theelastic tension of the spring is imparted to said slide-block andthrough the press-plate S to the letters m on table 3. Furthermore, itwill be seen that when the press-plate is moved over toward the left, asthe parts are shown in Fig. 1, to accommodate more letters x, placedupon the table 3, the tension of the spring will be increased, and asthe letters are successively Withdrawn from the table by the segregatingdevice the tension of the spring will be gradually relaxed, so that itwill be seen that the tension of the spring is made to vary in order toaccommodate itself to the work to be done, and thereby the letters areheld pressed against the segregating device 23 with a substantiallyuniform elastic force. The slideblock 2O on table 15 being connected bymeans of the yoke or tie-bar 13 with the slideblock 7, it will be seenthat the two slideblocks and the press plates thereon are caused to movein unison, one receding from the segregating device as the other movestoward the same, and in this Way it will be seen that upon the table 15spaceis always provided to permit each letter Withdrawn from the table 3by the segregating device 23 to be deposited in the row of letters, asindicated at w', on table 15. The segregating device is so arranged asto seize the letters .9c on table 3 at or near the upper edge, and inthe rotation ot' the device as the letter is carried over toward table15 said letter will be inverted and said upper edge portion will becomethe lower edge portion of the letter. The table 3 is so arranged withrespect to the segregating device 23 that the upper edge portions of theletters cc are presented at the periphery of the segregating device, inposition to be seized thereby, and, as stated above, the table 15 isarranged at a higher level than the table 3, so that the lower edgeportions of the letters w' are adjacent to the periphery of thesegregating device, while the upper edge portions of said letters x areseparated from the periphery of said device 23 by a space, as clearlyshown in Fig. 1, adapted to permit the edge of the letter carried by thesegregating device to be entered between said device and the letters ct"ou table 15, so that the letter held by said device may be convenientlydrawn down and made to reston the table as a part' of the bunch ofletters .10 thereon. The adjustable connection of the bracket 9 on thetie-bar or yoke 13 permits the slideblocks 7 and 20 to be drawn nearertogether or moved farther apart,according to the thickness of the bunchof letters placed on the table 3 before the marking is commenced, thepress-plate 22 being adjusted in this position of the parts to standclosely adjacent to the periphery of the segregating device 23.

The segregating device 23 is, as herein shown, made in the form of adrum or cylinder mounted to turn on a stud or shaft 30, secured in theframe or bed-plate of lthe machine, and said drum or cylinder isprovided with a crank-handle 31, whereby the device may be convenientlyturned on said shaft or Lfi IOO

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stud. It is evident that a pulley and belt or other gearing may,however, be employed to driveasaid drum or cylinder from any source ofpower. The drum or cylinder 23 carries at diametically oppositepointscircular plugs 32, held by screws or otherwise in sockets 33 in the drumor cylinder, in which sockets, behind the plugs, are formed chambers 34,in which play pistons 35, connected together and arranged to movediametrically of the drum or cylinder to alternately exhaust the airfrom, so as to produce a vacuum in and to break said vacuum in therespective chambers 34 wherein the pistons play. The plugs 32 are alsoformed with marking and canceling devices` 36 and with ducts `or ports37, communicating with the chambers 34 and serving to permit theformation and breaking of the vacuum therein to act upon the letters tosegregate and mark the same and also to cancel ,the stamps thereon. Thepiston-rod which connects the pistons 35 together is provided with acentral annular yoke or band 38, encircling the shaft or stud 30 andhaving diametrically opposite lugs 39, which engage opposite sides of acam 40, xed on the shaft or stud 30, so that as the drum or cylinderisturned endwise movement in alternately opposite directions is impartedto the piston-rod carrying the pistons 35, causing the air to beexhausted at each half-turn ofthe drum or cylinder from one of thechambers 34,

v so as to permit the vacuum thus produced to end of said spring.

draw the letter against the canceling and marking device 36, wherebylthe letter is marked and segregated, and vsimultaneously to break thevacuum in the other chamber 34 to cause the letter held on thecorresponding marking and canceling device 36 to be released. The cam 40is so set upon the shaftor stud 30, as shown in Fig. 3, that the vacuumis produced inthe chamber 34' when the corresponding device 36ispopposite the upper part of the letter a; on'table 3, and the vacu umis broken in Vthe chamber 34 when the corresponding device 36 isopposite the lower part of the letters a." on the table 15. In order toinsure the rapid action of the cam 40, ,Iprovide upon the piston-rod,which connects the pistons 35, an annular band or ring 41, (see Figs. 4and 9,) which extends beyond the plane of the .cam 40 and is externallygroovedl to receive a shoe 42, backed `by a spring 43, secured to theframe 1 and m'ade in the form shownin Fig. 10, said shoe having a socketin its rear surface to receive the v The spring acts at each half-turnof the drum or cylinder to impart a quick endwise movement to thepiston-rod to form a vacuum in one chamber 34 and to break the vacuum inthe other chamber.

On the table 3 is arranged a transverse plate 44, extending tangentiallyto the drum or cylinder` 23 and serving to hold the letters on saidtable in proper-,erect position, and on the table l5 is arrangedasimilar though narrower plate 45 for a similar purpose with respect tothe letters on said table and also to insure the proper detaching of theletters from the segregating device. The yupper edges of said plates 44and 45 are beveled to fit close against the periphery of the drum orcylinder, so as not to interfere with the proper action of thesegregating device.

The drum or cylinder 23 is formed with an annular gear-face 46 at oneend with which meshes a gear-wheel 47, formed on one end of an ink-padcarrier comprising a tubular body 49, turning on a stud or shaft 48,secured to the'frame or bed-plate beneath the table 15 and having at itsend opposite'to said gear-wheel 47 a head or disk 50, between which andthe adjacent faces of the gear- Wheel is held a bar-or rod 51, securedat itsends by screws or the like and having a pad or covering of felt orother absorbent and sufficiently soft material, as indicated at 52,adapted to receive a supply of ink to be delivered, as the carrierturns, to the marking and canceling devices 36` of the drum or cylinder.The gearing is so proportioned that the ca rrier turns twice to eachrotation of the drum or cylinder, so that each device 36 will be keptproperly inked.

l The canceling or marking device 36 is illustratedclearly in Fig. 8. Asshown in said figure, the device is of an elongated form and fits in anopening in the plug 32, being formed with a raised edge wall 53,`corresponding with the periphery of the drumv or cylinder 23 andadapted for contact with the surface ofV the envelop to produce a partofv the cancellation thereon, the port 37 opening within saidraised-edge wall so that the vacuum will be produced withinthe same whenthe piston 35 is moved. Within said raised edge wall 53 are arrangedother'marking and canceling surfaces 54, part orall of which may beremovable, so that the date or hour of marking mayl be readily.changed,as will be understood.

To prevent the letters on table 3 from being disarranged Abythelaction-of the pneumatic segregating device," I arrange above the table,adjacent to said devceya transverse arm 55,having light spring-fingers56 depending beneath it and in position over the end of thebunch ofletters a: adjacent to the segregating device. These fingers serveto'permit the letter seized by the segregatingdevice tobe readilywithdrawn, but by engagement with the edge of the next-letter in thebunch pre-v vent said letter from being drawn up out-of place byfrictional contact with the letterbeing removed. Y

In operation the letters are collected in-a bunch and placed on thetable 3 with their addressed faces adjacent to the segregating device 23and their stamped ends adjacent to the raised wall 6 of the table, theconnection of bracket 9 and yoke 13 being adjusted 'so as to causepress-plate 22 to stand close against the opposite side of the drum 23,as explained above. The cylindrical or drum-like segre- IOO IIO

gating device 23 is now turned,causing a vacuum to be alternatelyproduced and broken in the respective chambers 34 therein, the vacuumbeing produced as the device 36 rises above the plate 44 and comesopposite the stamps upon the letters .fr and being broken as the edge ofthe letter is inserted between the plate 45 and the bunch of letters onthe table l5. By means of the vacuum thus produced in the chambers 34the letters will be caused to adhere to the drum or cylinder, so as tobe segregated from the bunch of letters on table 3,and the pressure ofair which holds the letter to the drum or cylinder will also act topress the surface of the letter closely against the marking andcanceling devices 53 and 54, so as to produce upon the letter aclearlyprinted postmark and stamp cancellation simultaneously with thesegregation of the letter. The breaking of the vacuum when the drum orcylinder has made a half-turn enables the letters to be placed by themachine in a neat bunch or pile suitable for convenient Working orsorting in the ordinary manner.

From the above description it will be seen that the improved machineconstructed according to my invention is not only compact, but is simpleand inexpensive in construction andis adapted for operation by hand orother power, so as to be adapted for use in large and small post-officesand also in railway mailcars, and it willalso be obvious thatitisadapted for use in marking mail-matter of different sizes Within limitsof width, the length and thickness of the different pieces beingimmaterial. It will also be obvious from the above description that themachine is capable of some modification without material departure fromthe principles and spirit of my invention, and for this reason I do notwish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise form andarrangement of the several parts herein set forth.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

l. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of an air-exhaustingdevice, and a marking device for marking the letters or other pieces ofmail-matter, said device having a Wall surrounding its marking-surfaceand adapted to bear against the surface of the letter or other piece ofmail-matter to be marked, said marking device having an air duct or portarranged within said wall and communicating with the air-exhaustingdevice, substantially as set forth.

2. In a mail-marking machine the combination of two tables or holdersfor the mailmatter, a carrier for carrying the mail-matter from onetable or holder to the other, a marking device, and parts to hold theletters or other pieces of mail-matter on the respective tables orholders in erect position, said parts being connected together andarranged `for movement in unison, substantially as set forth.

3. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of two tables or holdersfor the mailmatter, a carrier for carrying the mail-matter from onetable or holder to the other, a marking device, and parts to hold theletters or other pieces of mail-matter on the respective tables orholders in erect position, said parts being adjustably connectedtogether and being arranged for movement in unison, substantially as setforth.

4. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of two tables or holdersfor the mailmatter, a carrier for carrying the mail-matter from onetable or holder to the other,a marking device, parts to hold the lettersor other pieces of mail-matter on the respective tables or holders inerect position, said parts being connected together and arranged formovement in unison, and means for moving one of said parts toward thecarrier with a gradually-decreasing pressure, substantially as setforth.

5. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a segregatin g devicehaving a recess surrounded by a Wall, a marking device-secured in saidrecess, and means for creating a partial vacuum in said recess,substantially as specified.

6. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a frame, a drum mountedto turn thereon, means to support the mail-matter, a cam connected tothe frame, two devices connected together and arranged to actalternately and in unison, respectively, to seize and release theletters or other pieces of mailmatter, said devices being actuated bysaid cam, and means to mark the letters, substantially as set forth.

7. In a mail-marking machine in combination, a table adapted to supporta pack of unmarked letters, means for maintaining the letters on saidtable in a substantially vertical position resting upon their edges, amov able device having in its face a recess constituting avacuum-chamber, a marking-plate secured in said recess, mechanism forfeeding the pack of lett-ers toward said movable device, mechanism formoving said device to periodically present said recess and markingplatetoward and close to the foremost letter in said unmarked pack, means forthen creating and subsequently breaking a partial vacuum in said chamberwhereby the foremostletter in the unmarked pack is moved by atmosphericpressure over the mouth of said recess and against said printing-plate,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

8. In a mail-marking machine, in combination, a table adapted to supporta pack of unmarked letters, means for maintaining the letters on saidtable in a substantially vertical position resting upon their edges, amovable device having in its face a recess constituting avacuum-chamber, a marking-plate secured in said recess, mechanism formoving said movable device to periodically present said recess andmarking-plate toward and roo IIO

close to the foremost letter in said unmarked pack, means for thencreating and subse' -as to close the mouth of said recess and betemporarily attached to and carried by said movable device until thepartial vacuum in said chamber is broken, thereby marking said letterand segregating it from the unmarked pack, substantially as and for thepurpose specified. f

9. Ina mail-marking machine, in combination, a table adapted to supporta pack of unmarked letters, means for holding said lettersin asubstantially vertical position resting upon their edges, a movabledevice having in its face a recess constituting a vacuum-chamzo ber, amarking-plate in said recess, mechanism for moving said movable deviceto peri- Odically present the mouth of said recess and the marking-platecontained therein toward and close to the foremost letter in saidunmarked pack,'means for then creating and subsequently breaking apartial vacuum in said recess whereby said foremost letter is moved byexternal atmospheric pressure against the marginal edges of said recessand against the printing-plate in said recess, and mechanism for inkingsaid marking-plate in the intervals between its successive presentationsto the pack of unmarked letters, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

^ In testimony whereof I aix my signature in'presence of two Witnesses.

EDWARD CHESHI-RE.

Vitnesses':

L. M. JONES, JOHN ELIAS J ONES.

